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Anthony Cushing, Ph.D.
Musicologist

A native of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Anthony received his Ph.D. in musicology from the University of Western Ontario in 2013. He completed an undergraduate degree in music at Acadia University where he majored in composition and cello performance, studying with Jeff Hennessy and Christoph Both, respectively. In 2003, he had the distinction of being the first graduate student in music at the University of Southern Maine where he studied composition with J. Mark Scearce, Elliott Schwartz, and Daniel Sonenberg. His current research interests are divided into music mashups and counterpoint, and Canadian pianist Glenn Gould's Solitude Trilogy radio documentaries.

Anthony currently lives in Toronto, Ontario where he works as a freelance copywriter and researcher.

Education

  • Ph.D., Music. The University of Western Ontario (UWO) London, Ontario.
    Dissertation: Three Solitudes and a DJ: A Mashed-Up Study of Counterpoint in a Digital Realm: 2013
  • Master of Music, Composition. The University of Southern Maine (USM) Gorham, Maine.
    Thesis: Cold Companion: A One Act Chambre Opera: 2005
  • Bachelor of Arts in Music, Composition. Acadia University (Acadia), Wolfville, Nova Scotia: 2002
  • Bachelor of Public Relations. Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU), Halifax, Nova Scotia: 2002 (Completed Coursework)

Employment History

Undergraduate Courses Taught

  • Morphing Perceptions of Authorship in Post-War Pop Music (UWO, MUS 3731B, Upper-Level Seminar for Music Majors): 2011

Teaching Assistant

  • Music History I: Introduction to Musicology (UWO, MUS 1710F/G, 1st-year Music Majors): 2007, 2009
  • Music History II: Medieval and Renaissance (UWO, MUS 1711F/G, 1st-year Music Majors): 2008, 2009
  • Music History III: Baroque and Classical (UWO, MUS 2710F/G, 2nd-year Music Majors): 2007, 2010
  • Music Theory I (UWO, MUS 1649, 1st-year Music Majors): 2008
  • Music Theory III (UWO, MUS 2649, 2nd-year Music Majors): 2010

Research Activities

See publications page for list of publications

International Conference Presentations

  • American Comparative Literature Association (ACLA) Annual Conference, Toronto, ON
    Listening to Solitude: The Idea of North as Music: 04/05/2013.
  • Colloque international multidisciplinaire Musiques et imaginaire du Nord et du froid, Université du Quèbec à Montréal, Montreal, QC
    Glenn Gould in Mono: Listening to Contrapuntal Space in The Idea of North: 01/18/2012
  • Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association (PCA/ACA) National Joint Conference, New Orleans, LA
    Sad, Mad, and Murderous: Tracking Literary Intertexts in the Decemberists' Extended Music Narratives: 04/09/2009.

National Conference Presentations

  • International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM), Canadian Branch Annual Conference, Quebec City, QC
    Pachelbel This Ain't: Canon Formation in Mashup Distribution and Reception: 5/23/2014
  • IASPM Canadian Branch Annual Conference, Wolfville, NS
    Have Diaspora Will Travel: Portable Music from a Displaced People: 06/14/2012.
  • Living Stereo Conference, Carlton University, Ottawa, ON
    Hearing Isolation: An Exploration of Stereophonic Contrapuntal Space in Glenn Gould's The Latecomers: 03/11/2012
  • Canadian University Music Society (CUMS) Annual Conference, Regina, SK
    Three Solitudes and a DJ: A theoretical Treatment of Mash-Ups as Counterpoint Through a Reading of Glenn Gould's Contrapuntal Radio: 06/04/2010.
  • IASPM Canadian Branch Annual Conference, St. Catherines, ON
    The Grey Album and Mash-Ups: A Case Study in Subversive Economics: 05/04/2008.

Regional Conference Presentations

  • American Musicological Society (AMS) New York State-St. Lawrence Chapter Annual Conference, Waterloo, ON
    It's Op. 2 That Counts!: Glenn Gould as Electronic Composer and Contrapuntist: 04/30/2011
  • UWO Don Wright Faculty of Music Graduate Symposium, London, ON
    Sonus est Non Liberum: The Sound Archive as Exclusive Repository: 08/24/2013.

Guest Lectures

  • Glenn Gould: Curiosity, Take 1... 2... 3, TEDxOPS 2015: March 26, 2015
  • Glenn Gould and the Music of Contrapuntal Radio. Artist Studies Graduate Seminar, Department of Music, Carlton University: 10/16/2013.
  • An Introduction to Glenn Gould's Radio Documentaries. Studies in Canadian Music, Department of Music, University of Windsor: 03/13/2011
  • I've Heard That Song Before: An Intertextual Analysis of Rent and La Bohème. Musical Theatre History Survey, UWO, 11/12/2009.

Scholarships and Awards

  • The George Proctor Award (Contributions to Canadian Music Scholarship), UWO: 2011
  • Graduate Thesis Research Grant, UWO, $3,000: 2010-2011
  • Graduate Tuition Scholarship, UWO, approx. $21,000: 2007-2011
  • Dean's Award for Research Excellence, UWO: 2009
  • Board of Trustee's Tuition Scholarship, USM, approx. $15,000: 2003-2005
  • Jerry Bowder Composition Scholarship, USM, $2,000: 2003.

Professional and Research Associations

  • American Comparative Literature Association (ACLA): 2013-2014
  • American Musicological Society (AMS): 2010-
  • Canadian University Music Society (CUMS): 2010-
  • International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM): 2008-

Research Interests

  • Glenn Gould
  • Mashups
  • Digital Audio Production
  • Counterpoint
  • Sound Studies
  • Soundscapes
  • Music and Expectation/Anticipation
  • Music and Intertextuality

Administrative Duties

  • Information Officer, Graduate Teaching Assistant Union (GTAU), UWO: 2010-2011
  • Union Steward for Music, GTAU, UWO: 2007-2010
  • Library Committee, Don Wright Faculty of Music, UWO, 2007-2008

Articles

  • Anthony Cushing, Glenn Gould and 'Opus 2': An outline for a musical understanding of contrapuntal radio with respect to The Idea of North. Circuit : Musiques Contemporaines 22/2 (2012): 21-35.
    Launch Related Site View Article (PDF)
  • Anthony Cushing, Examining the New Counterpoint: Gould's Contrapuntal Radio, Glenn Gould Foundation, October 18, 2010.
    Launch Related Site

Podcasts

Dissertation

Three Solitudes and a DJ: A Mashed-up Study of Counterpoint in a Digital Realm (2013)
Link to Dissertation
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